Three Men Arrested In Connection with Robberies
Police have arrested three men in connection with a string of armed follow-home robberies from casinos in Gardena and Commerce, the Daily Breeze reports. John Atkins, 21, of Barstow and his cousins – 18-year-old Raymond Little Jr. of Duarte and Gary Smith, 20, of Hacienda Heights – were arrested after they reportedly followed a Hollywood man home from the Commerce Casino.
The alleged crimes have been happening since Sept. 10, officials say. According to reports, in one of the incidents, one of the men punched a woman when she reached her home, knocked her to the ground and grabbed her purse with $10,000 of casino winnings. Most of the victims were women. The men were arrested after Orange County sheriff’s deputies reportedly used surveillance photos from a toll road to get the license plate number of one of the men’s vehicles.
Robbery is considered a violent crime because it implies force and physical intimidation. In this particular case, all three men are facing serious charges because most of these incidents involve assault and use of a deadly weapon – a handgun. If convicted, these men are looking at a very long time in prison.
Under Penal Code 211, robbery law in California is defined as the taking of property from the immediate possession of another, accomplished by means of force or fear. The California penalties for robbery are up to 5 years state prison per count, with an additional 10 years prison if a gun was used.
Whatever the nature of the violent crime you are charged with, you need an extremely skilled and knowledgeable Southern California criminal defense attorney to thoroughly and independently investigate your case. Our attorneys are former prosecutors and our investigators are former law enforcement officials. We know what it’s like to be on the other side. We know and understand how cops and DAs think and how they put a case together. We have an impeccable track record when it comes to getting acquittals for our clients or getting charges reduced. Call us today to discuss your case and legal options.
